Dry deposition is a major loss pathway for reactive nitrogen species from the atmospheric boundary layer. Represented in chemical transport models (CTMs) as a first-order process, time-varying rate coefficients are parameterized and expressed via species-specific deposition velocities (<em>V_d(x</em>)). We evaluate isolated components of the parameterization for <em>V_d</em> in the GEOS-Chem CTM by extracting the trace gas dry deposition algorithm and reimplementing in single-point-mode to enable more direct comparison to field observations. Resistances to surface uptake follow a modified version of the &lsquo;big-leaf&rsquo; Wesely parameterization, which previous studies have shown applies poorly to off-target species such as NO₂ under conditions favoring non-stomatal uptake. We evaluate non-stomatal dry deposition of NO₂ by comparing to eddy covariance observed nocturnal <em>V_d(NO₂)</em> over Harvard Forest. We eliminate a large low bias (-80 %) in simulated nocturnal <em>V_d(NO₂)</em> by representing NO₂ heterogeneous hydrolysis on deposition surfaces, paying attention to chemical flux divergence, soil NO emission, as well as canopy surface area effects. Finally, we evaluate the updated oxidized reactive nitrogen (NO_y) dry deposition parameterization for GEOS-Chem by comparing to eddy covariance observed <em>V_d(NO_y)</em> over Harvard Forest, finding a modest nocturnal low bias (-19 %) remains in simulated <em>V_d(NO_y)</em> due to the compensating effects of updates to the calculation of molecular diffusivities (28 % reduction in nocturnal <em>V_d(NO_y)</em>) and representation of NO₂ heterogenous hydrolysis (25 % increase in nocturnal <em>V_d(NO_y)</em>). These developments are applicable to models across scales, having important implications for near-surface NO₂ lifetime through a mechanism involving HONO emission.